


man in a movie

by straykid



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Jaemin is an Actor, Jeno is a Model, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-11 13:01:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19928470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/straykid/pseuds/straykid
Summary: “I’ve done some modeling,” Jaemin said vaguely. “I’d like to be thought of as an actor though.”Jeno nodded in understanding. A lot of people working in the modeling industry were aspiring actors. “Have you been in anything I’ve heard of?”Or: Jeno attends a movie premiere, not realizing that the cute boy sitting next to him is one of the stars of the film.





	man in a movie

**Author's Note:**

> just a drabble written in celebration of the dreamies finally (!!!!!) getting a comeback. hope you all enjoy!

When Jeno was first approached by ESteem, he thought it was a joke.

Sure, he’d been in commercials when he was young, and old women in the grocery store were always stopping him to tell him how handsome he was, but he was hardly model material. He’d never even given it a thought.

Then one day on his usual walk home from school, a woman came up to him and asked if he wanted to be Korea’s next big thing. She handed him a business card, explained that she was a representative of ESteem, and asked him to audition.

And Jeno wasn’t _stupid._ He’d watched enough news to know how often people get scammed just like that, and his parents raised him to be cautious of strangers. So he walked away, threw the business card into the nearest trash can, and assumed that would be the end of it.

Except it wasn’t. The following week the woman returned, this time with official looking paperwork that Jeno figured was meant to make her seem trustworthy. Despite her efforts, he remained unconvinced.

That pattern continued for over a month, until finally he brought the business card home to his parents and explained what was going on. His mother was worried, even going so far as to suggest they go to the police and file for a protection order; but his father took a more rational approach, telling them to let him look into it first.

The following afternoon when Jeno arrived home from school, he found his parents waiting for him in the living room. It was a surprise, to say the least, when they let him know that the woman really was a casting agent, and that her company was one of the best in the industry.

Jeno decided to audition, and was accepted into the company despite his lack of experience. It was only a matter of months before he booked his first gig—a magazine shoot alongside an upcoming idol group—and his fan base began to grow from there. 

Now, Lee Jeno was a name well-known to the younger generations. His face was plastered on billboards, advertisements, and magazines, and he’d even gotten a regular position as an MC on a music show. Part of him felt like his life was some sort of dream, but he took it all in stride with a grateful heart.

Though modeling had never been his career goal, he had come to love his job. It could be hard at times, what with the diets, regular workouts, and expectations for him to always look his best, but there were a lot of perks too. 

Currently, he was enjoying one of said perks, attending the premiere of a new film called _The Sun in Your Eyes._ It was mostly a PR opportunity—his company hoping that a few pictures of him on the red carpet would bring about buzz before the announcement of his new brand endorsement—but Jeno would be lying if he said that he wasn’t enjoying himself.

Standing in front of dozens of photographers, lights flashing and people desperately calling for his attention could be overwhelming, but it was oddly flattering too. He was dressed in a nice suit, hair and makeup done to perfection, and he was feeling confident.

After his photo-op, he was escorted toward a bundle of reporters waiting for interviews. He sent them a charming smile as he approached, one hand settling into the pocket of his slacks. Immediately, he had numerous microphones shoved toward his face, but he didn’t even flinch.

“How are you feeling tonight?” One reporter asked.

“I’m looking forward to the film. I’ve seen the previews, and it looks incredible,” Jeno lied with ease. He didn’t even know the genre of the movie, let alone what it was about, but he wasn’t going to let anyone know that.

“Did you bring a date with you?” Another questioned. Jeno let out a soft laugh, running a hand through his hair. His stylist would be furious, but he couldn’t help the habit—plus, the simple gesture never failed to make his fans go wild, and he aimed to please.

“I’m alone tonight,” he replied smoothly. “I get more than enough love from my fans.”

After answering a few more questions, Jeno was ushered away by one of the workers. They lead him inside and to his seat, where he allowed himself to settle in comfortably. Although there were still reporters and other celebrities around, cameras were prohibited in this area, which meant that he could be less posed. 

Jeno leaned his head back against the seat, eyes fluttering closed while he waited. It had been a long month jammed back with schedules, and he was still feeling jet lagged from a recent trip to Paris. While he knew that his company would be furious if they ever found out, he was tempted to try and squeeze in a quick nap before he’d have to attend an obligatory after party.

Unfortunately, before he could actually fall asleep, a voice came from the aisle beside him.

“Excuse me,” the person said, “Do you mind if I squeeze by you?”

Jeno blinked his eyes open, straightening up in his seat out of instinct. He found a handsome boy standing beside him, watching with a bemused smile. With a face like that, he figured that he was a fellow model.

“Of course. Sorry,” Jeno stood up and stepped back as much as he could, allowing the boy to get to his seat. 

“Don’t worry about it. These events can be exhausting,” the boy said knowingly. He sat down in the seat next to Jeno, adding, “I’m Jaemin, by the way.”

“Jeno,” he replied. 

Jaemin hummed quietly. “I recognize you. You were the guy that did that skin care commercial, right? The one with the puppy?”

“That’s me,” Jeno confirmed. The commercial was fairly recent and had garnered quite a bit of attention, so he wasn’t all too surprised he was being recognized for it. “Are you a model too?”

“I’ve done some modeling,” Jaemin said vaguely. “I’d like to be thought of as an actor, though.”

Jeno nodded in understanding. A lot of people working in the modeling industry were aspiring actors. “Have you been in anything I’ve heard of?”

Jaemin stared at him for a long moment, wearing a look that Jeno couldn’t quite identify. Before Jeno could backpedal, Jaemin let out a small snort, a small smirk appearing on his face. “Not really,” he said. “I’m still a rookie. I did a web drama, but it never took off.”

Jeno grimaced in sympathy. He knew a lot of people who were in similar positions, just waiting for their big break. This industry could be cutthroat, and he hated that side of it. “That sucks,” he said softly, “but with a face like yours I’m sure you’ll be getting plenty of offers in the future.”

The tips of Jaemin’s ears instantly turned red, though he tried to act nonchalant. He snorted, bringing his hand up to rub at the back of his neck. “Thanks, but you’re one to talk. I bet directors are always fighting over you.”

“Not really,” Jeno dismissed. Though there might have been some truth to Jaemin’s words, he was still too humble to admit it himself. “I’m still pretty new to all of this. It can be hard learning the ropes of everything, especially at events like these.”

“Tell me about it,” Jaemin said with a small groan. “I’m probably squinting in half the photos they took because of all those flashes. My manager gave me a scolding as soon as we were inside.”

“You could make that your go to pose,” Jeno suggested. “You could try and pull off the whole dark-and-smoldering angle. You’ve got the jawline for it.”

Jaemin let out a laugh, glancing down at himself. “Me? Dark and smoldering?”

Jeno nodded. “All you need is a leather jacket and some ripped jeans.”

“I’ll get my stylist right on that,” Jaemin snorted. 

Jeno opened his mouth to say something more, but was interrupted when the lights in the room dimmed. The director of the film stepped onto the stage in front of the screen, introducing himself and the movie. Though he was upset that his conversation with Jaemin had been interrupted, Jeno was raised with manners, and kept quiet out of respect.

—

Five minutes into the movie, Jeno found himself fighting off sleep once again.

So far it was entirely cliché, following the whole _rich boy meets poor girl and falls in love_ plot line, and the acting was cringy in a way only teenage romantic comedies can pull off. He could say with confidence that he wasn’t in the target audience, though he imagined the pre-teen crowd would go nuts over it.

Despite his best efforts to stay awake, with each minute that passed it was becoming increasingly difficult. He wasn’t interested in the film, and the quiet, dark environment of the theater made it optimal for a power nap. 

Though he knew it was bad for his image, he finally just gave in, allowing his eyes to flutter shut. He was on the edge of sleep when he was startled back to consciousness by a familiar voice.

“Hey! What are you doing?”

At first Jeno thought Jaemin was scolding him, but a quick glance to his right showed Jaemin watching the movie intently. Slowly, Jeno’s eyes wandered to the screen, and–

Oh. 

_Oh._

Jaemin was on the screen.

As reality set in, Jeno could feel heat rising to his cheeks, spreading through his entire face. Jaemin wasn’t just some rookie sent to this premiere for press attention; he was _actually in the film._ Ifthis scene was anything to go by, he wasn’t just some side character—he was one of the main leads, and the third party in the love triangle.

Jeno felt _mortified._

—

Jeno knew that he would have to say something, but he didn’t know how. The people in this industry can be sensitive, and he gave Jaemin a massive blow to his ego; a simple ‘I’m sorry’ likely won’t be enough to mend things.

He watched the final scene of the movie draw to a close, his palms covered in a thin layer of sweat. He wiped them nervously against his pants, just as the screen went blank and the lights turned back on. Everyone in the theater began to clap so Jeno followed along, though he desperately wished he could just melt into the floor never to be seen again.

With a deep breath he turned to his right, but the apology on the tip of his tongue died right away when he met Jaemin’s stupidly pretty eyes. He was expecting the other boy to act arrogant now, but he was genuinely smiling.

“What did you think?” Jaemin asked.

“I–” Jeno began, but found that he had idea what to say. He swallowed hard, trying to figure out a way to explain, but he came up blank. Finally, he settled for an inadequate, “I’m sorry.”

Jaemin’s smile fell instantly. There was a flash of confusion in his eyes, before his upper lip curled slightly. “You’re sorry?” He repeated.

“Yes,” Jeno said. He looked down in shame. “I was impolite before. My company just didn’t tell me anything about the film, so I was clueless coming into this. That’s not an excuse though.”

”You’re right,” Jaemin agreed, “that’s not an excuse.”

Jeno opened and closed his mouth helplessly, wondering how he’d managed to mess things up so badly. He was honestly feeling desperate enough to get on his knees and beg forgiveness, when Jaemin surprised him by laughing.

”I’m sorry,” Jaemin said through a snort. “It’s just— _your face._ ”

”Huh?” Jeno’s gaze snapped up, brows furrowed with confusion and concern.

Jaemin finally calmed down, his cheeks now pleasantly flushed. “I was just kidding around. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“So you’re not mad?” Jeno asked timidly, still not quite believing it.

“Of course not,” Jaemin said. “I really am a rookie actor, this was my first big gig. I don’t think half the people here would recognize me even after watching the movie.”

Jeno exhaled, his shoulders slumping with relief. He’d been so concerned about all of the negative reactions Jaemin could have, it never occurred to him that he might actually be cool about it all.

“Congratulations,” Jeno said at last. The least he could do was give Jaemin some compliments. “It was a really good film.”

“Thank you,” Jaemin smirked. “And you’re a very good actor, considering you said that with a straight face.”

Jeno’s eyes widened slightly. “What?”

Jaemin glanced over his shoulder, leaning in closer. “My company had me take the role,” he whispered. “They said it was good exposure, even if the script was shit.”

“Oh,” Jeno realized. As Jaemin’s words processed, he couldn’t help but let out a small snort. “I had to shoot an advertisement for kitty litter once because my company said the same.”

“They’re the worst, aren’t they?” Jaemin groaned.

It was nice, Jeno thought, to be able to openly talk about this with someone who understood. He was close to some fellow models, but he felt as though he could never be completely honest with them for fear of his words being twisted in the future. Even if they’d only met a few hours ago, he could already tell Jaemin wasn’t the type to do anything like that.

“They are,” he agreed. 

“Jaemin,” a new voice called. Jeno turned, and saw a man in his mid-thirties that was undoubtedly Jaemin’s manager. “You need to come make some final comments to the press.”

“Okay,” Jaemin nodded, and Jeno didn’t think he was imagining the disappointment behind his words. He looked at Jeno again. “Duty calls. It was nice meeting you though. Hopefully I’ll see you sometime soon?”

“I’d like that,” Jeno said softly. Jaemin grinned.

“Does that mean you’d be willing to give me your number?”

Vaguely, this all felt like it could have been some kind of dream. Things like this just didn’t happen to Jeno. He didn’t meet cute boys with even cuter personalities, and have _them_ ask _him_ for their numbers.

Yet even after Jeno pinched the inside of his forearm, there was Jaemin staring at him with hopeful eyes and a tentative smile.

—

**nanajaemin** : hey, it’s jaemin! are you free on saturday? i was thinking we could grab a coffee or something, my treat :)

 **jenojam** : hi! i’d love that <3

**Author's Note:**

> feedback is always appreciated :)


End file.
